what do you think?

[FyrFytrRyn]

i got this email from James @ mbstc, what do you think? mostly based on the 1st paragraph,
could this not have been a guy who knows his limits and simply didnt get to the bike quick enough?
if i were hauling the mail behind one of YOU down southridge somewhere, and you went down, and
i got hurt because of it, i cetainly wouldnt call you an idiot. thoughts on the below, or what ive written?


Dear Ryan,


I have two inspirations for the following rant. First, my good friend from
Hawaii e-mailed me and told me about his annual trip to Whistler. Seems some
newbie who had no business on A-Line crashed and left his bike lying in the
transition of a jump. It was in a blind spot so my buddy launched the jump, saw
the bike lying in the landing and knew he was screwed. Next thing he remembered
is waking up in the hospital. He got a brain concussion, bruised spine, severely
broken wrist and a $15,000 bill, all because some idiot did not know how to ride
within his limits.

Second, my trip to Keystone Mountain in Colorado for the last day it was open
this season revealed how many pudnuckers can congregate in one spot. If you
don't know what a pudnucker is, I put together a list of the top 10 ways to tell
if you are a pudnucker.

Top 10 Ways to Tell if You are a Pudnucker

1. If you ride past a sign that says something to the effect of "This trail
requires superior bike handling skills. The first feature is indicative of the
skill level required. If you are having trouble with this first feature you
should not ride this trail." and then proceed to WALK over the first feature you
are a pudnucker.

2. If you are not dominating every inch of the blue and single black diamond
trails yet continually try to simply survive a double black diamond trail and
walk over every feature then you are a pudnucker.

3. If you are walking over, down or around a trail feature and see someone
coming up behind you and instead of stepping aside and letting them pass you try
and hurry up and get back on your bike to stay in front of them then you are a
pudnucker.

4. If you bring a child, friend or girlfriend who has no business going down a
black or double black diamond trail yet take them on one anyways because that's
what you want to ride then you are a pudnucker.

5. If you try and ride a Wal-Mart bike down any lift access trail then you are a
double pudnucker (and so are the guys in charge who let people off at the top
with those bikes).

6. If you stop on the trail to check out a jump or drop and do not get out of
the way when you hear a bike coming up behind you then you are a pudnucker. And
don't tell me you did not hear someone coming. DH bikes are not exactly the Red
October and can be heard clanking down the trail in enough time to get out of
the way.

7. If you come up to a bridge ride that you are going to walk and do not check
to see if someone else is coming up behind you before you start to walk it then
you are a pudnucker.

8. If you do not pull to the side to get out of the way for a faster rider then
you are a pudnucker.

9. If you walk your bike down the big middle of the transition for a jump or
drop with no regard to if a rider is charging in behind you then you are a
pudnucker.

10. If you crash and do not jump up and get your bike off the trail ASAP and
that causes another biker to crash then you are a triple pudnucker who deserves
to be punished by having their mountain bike taken away and given to the guy who
you caused to crash and be relegated to riding a road bike for a year while you
think about what you did.

Some of you may think that I am being an elitist snob with this newsletter but
hopefully you will see where I am coming from. One of the biggest problems that
I see with the mountain biking world is that a lot of mountain bikers simply do
not know how to ride their bike within their limits and follow proper trail
etiquette.

I think that just because you own a mountain bike that does not make you a
mountain biker. A mountain biker has worked on mastering basic trail skills,
knows and rides within their limits, knows proper trail etiquette and generally
represents our sport in a positive manner. Unfortunately there are a lot of
posers out there who simply want to buy a bike and some gear and look cool. As
mountain bikers it is our responsibility to try and reverse this trend.

One of the reasons people in charge of land access are scared to allow mountain
bikers in is because we have an abnormally large injury potential compared to
other land users. In this world of lawsuits land users who are more likely to
incur injuries are not real popular. We all know of someone who has been hurt
bad while mountain biking, and a lot of the time it happened because they got in
over their head and did not know what to do.

Think about skiing or snowboarding...almost no one takes those sports up without
investing in some sort of skills coaching. It is just understood that is what
you do. This not only helps people acquire the basic skills needed to safely
participate in those sports it also gives them a sense of their limitations and
trail etiquette. They simply know that they do not have the skills needed to
charge a black or double black diamond trail and instead work on building their
skills on easier trails. Quick note: I know that there are still pudnuckers in
skiing and snowboarding but the percentage of them is much lower compared to the
mountain biking world.

Now, compare that to mountain biking. While there are some great skills coaches
out there, those of us who have invested in a class are in the minority.
Instead, someone buys a mountain bike and simply goes out and tries to ride it
(emphasis on the word "tries"). They have no skills and no sense of what is
within their limits.

Next thing you know they are cutting around simple trail features (seriously,
try riding over the rocks) which widens the trails. Or they do not know how to
control themselves and scare other trail users. Or they get hurt or hurt someone
else and that scares the land management people with the perception of a
possible lawsuit. All of this only serves to make enemies with land management
people and makes gaining and keeping access harder.

No wonder it is so much easier for other land users to gain and keep access. If
we really want to keep mountain biking a viable recreational activity then we
must do out part and encourage those who are starting out to invest in some sort
of skills and etiquette training and to ride within their limits. Of course,
leading by example is also a great place to start.

My good friends Lee McCormack (www.leelikesbikes.com) and Gene Hamilton
(www.betterride.net) are both excellent skills coaches that do camps around the
country. Lee wrote a book called "Mastering Mountain Bike Skills" that is also
a good place to start. Simply practicing basic skills like track stands, bunny
hops and picking the front wheel up in a grassy field can go a long way to
improving someone's skills.

Well, like most rants this one kind of has an abrupt end. I said what I think
needs to be said on the subject. I would encourage you to help me circulate this
as I think it is high time the mountain biking world took some stock in where we
are and how we got here. Post it in your local forum and forward it to your
riding buddies. I do not think that it is about being elitist snobs, it is about
raising the bar for the mountain biking world which will make it easier to get
new trails and keep current trails open and lead to a safer and more enjoyable
riding experience for everyone.

Until next time...

Ride Strong,

James Wilson
MTB Strength Training Systems
www.MTBStrengthCoach.com



2470 F Road #3
Grand Junction CO 81505

[DeeZee]

Originally Posted by FyrFytrRyn

i got this email from James @ mbstc, what do you think? mostly based on the 1st paragraph,
could this not have been a guy who knows his limits and simply didnt get to the bike quick enough?
if i were hauling the mail behind one of YOU down southridge somewhere, and you went down, and
i got hurt because of it, i cetainly wouldnt call you an idiot. thoughts on the below, or what ive written?


Dear Ryan,


I have two inspirations for the following rant. First, my good friend from
Hawaii e-mailed me and told me about his annual trip to Whistler. Seems some
newbie who had no business on A-Line crashed and left his bike lying in the
transition of a jump. It was in a blind spot so my buddy launched the jump, saw
the bike lying in the landing and knew he was screwed. Next thing he remembered
is waking up in the hospital. He got a brain concussion, bruised spine, severely
broken wrist and a $15,000 bill, all because some idiot did not know how to ride
within his limits.

Second, my trip to Keystone Mountain in Colorado for the last day it was open
this season revealed how many pudnuckers can congregate in one spot. If you
don't know what a pudnucker is, I put together a list of the top 10 ways to tell
if you are a pudnucker.

Top 10 Ways to Tell if You are a Pudnucker

1. If you ride past a sign that says something to the effect of "This trail
requires superior bike handling skills. The first feature is indicative of the
skill level required. If you are having trouble with this first feature you
should not ride this trail." and then proceed to WALK over the first feature you
are a pudnucker.

2. If you are not dominating every inch of the blue and single black diamond
trails yet continually try to simply survive a double black diamond trail and
walk over every feature then you are a pudnucker.

3. If you are walking over, down or around a trail feature and see someone
coming up behind you and instead of stepping aside and letting them pass you try
and hurry up and get back on your bike to stay in front of them then you are a
pudnucker.

4. If you bring a child, friend or girlfriend who has no business going down a
black or double black diamond trail yet take them on one anyways because that's
what you want to ride then you are a pudnucker.

5. If you try and ride a Wal-Mart bike down any lift access trail then you are a
double pudnucker (and so are the guys in charge who let people off at the top
with those bikes).

6. If you stop on the trail to check out a jump or drop and do not get out of
the way when you hear a bike coming up behind you then you are a pudnucker. And
don't tell me you did not hear someone coming. DH bikes are not exactly the Red
October and can be heard clanking down the trail in enough time to get out of
the way.

7. If you come up to a bridge ride that you are going to walk and do not check
to see if someone else is coming up behind you before you start to walk it then
you are a pudnucker.

8. If you do not pull to the side to get out of the way for a faster rider then
you are a pudnucker.

9. If you walk your bike down the big middle of the transition for a jump or
drop with no regard to if a rider is charging in behind you then you are a
pudnucker.

10. If you crash and do not jump up and get your bike off the trail ASAP and
that causes another biker to crash then you are a triple pudnucker who deserves
to be punished by having their mountain bike taken away and given to the guy who
you caused to crash and be relegated to riding a road bike for a year while you
think about what you did.

Some of you may think that I am being an elitist snob with this newsletter but
hopefully you will see where I am coming from. One of the biggest problems that
I see with the mountain biking world is that a lot of mountain bikers simply do
not know how to ride their bike within their limits and follow proper trail
etiquette.

I think that just because you own a mountain bike that does not make you a
mountain biker. A mountain biker has worked on mastering basic trail skills,
knows and rides within their limits, knows proper trail etiquette and generally
represents our sport in a positive manner. Unfortunately there are a lot of
posers out there who simply want to buy a bike and some gear and look cool. As
mountain bikers it is our responsibility to try and reverse this trend.

One of the reasons people in charge of land access are scared to allow mountain
bikers in is because we have an abnormally large injury potential compared to
other land users. In this world of lawsuits land users who are more likely to
incur injuries are not real popular. We all know of someone who has been hurt
bad while mountain biking, and a lot of the time it happened because they got in
over their head and did not know what to do.

Think about skiing or snowboarding...almost no one takes those sports up without
investing in some sort of skills coaching. It is just understood that is what
you do. This not only helps people acquire the basic skills needed to safely
participate in those sports it also gives them a sense of their limitations and
trail etiquette. They simply know that they do not have the skills needed to
charge a black or double black diamond trail and instead work on building their
skills on easier trails. Quick note: I know that there are still pudnuckers in
skiing and snowboarding but the percentage of them is much lower compared to the
mountain biking world.

Now, compare that to mountain biking. While there are some great skills coaches
out there, those of us who have invested in a class are in the minority.
Instead, someone buys a mountain bike and simply goes out and tries to ride it
(emphasis on the word "tries"). They have no skills and no sense of what is
within their limits.

Next thing you know they are cutting around simple trail features (seriously,
try riding over the rocks) which widens the trails. Or they do not know how to
control themselves and scare other trail users. Or they get hurt or hurt someone
else and that scares the land management people with the perception of a
possible lawsuit. All of this only serves to make enemies with land management
people and makes gaining and keeping access harder.

No wonder it is so much easier for other land users to gain and keep access. If
we really want to keep mountain biking a viable recreational activity then we
must do out part and encourage those who are starting out to invest in some sort
of skills and etiquette training and to ride within their limits. Of course,
leading by example is also a great place to start.

My good friends Lee McCormack (www.leelikesbikes.com) and Gene Hamilton
(www.betterride.net) are both excellent skills coaches that do camps around the
country. Lee wrote a book called "Mastering Mountain Bike Skills" that is also
a good place to start. Simply practicing basic skills like track stands, bunny
hops and picking the front wheel up in a grassy field can go a long way to
improving someone's skills.

Well, like most rants this one kind of has an abrupt end. I said what I think
needs to be said on the subject. I would encourage you to help me circulate this
as I think it is high time the mountain biking world took some stock in where we
are and how we got here. Post it in your local forum and forward it to your
riding buddies. I do not think that it is about being elitist snobs, it is about
raising the bar for the mountain biking world which will make it easier to get
new trails and keep current trails open and lead to a safer and more enjoyable
riding experience for everyone.

Until next time...

Ride Strong,

James Wilson
MTB Strength Training Systems
www.MTBStrengthCoach.com



2470 F Road #3
Grand Junction CO 81505

this guy has the right attitude to work at The Bike Co.....







[SIZE=1]just kidding[/SIZE]

[DownhillWebKook]

I totally agree with pretty much everything in this rant (guess that makes sense being a Bike Co team rider). If you don't have the knowledge, skills, and abilities to take on the trails in those settings then you are a risk and liability to those that do.

Bear in mind that we're talking about places like Whistler and other lift access parks and NOT mixed-use settings like our local trails here. If you've been to Whistler or even somewhere like Mammoth, you must realize how seriously f-ed up you can get if you crash there. Imagine ripping down Kamikaze only to find a gaggle of people sitting in the apex of your next turn. So, you're the a-hole for going fast down a black diamond run? No, not this time.

Nevertheless, I am surprised at the level of bike skills (not necessarliy guts though!) that people lack while tackling some of the tougher trails locally. In either setting, if you ride out of your ability , then you're showing a lack of courtesy while behaving dangerously and foolishly. That is not to say that challenging yourself is synonymous with riding outside of your ability; you can totally do that and be "safe" so to speak.

I guess I wouldn't call anyone a "pudnucker", but I would certainly use "shmuck" or "dumbass". Look at the points he makes a again and really think about it. The tone is a little angry, but let's get past that. What he's saying makes sense. If you're one to feel that such an opinion is offensive, then I suggest you take inventory of your own skills and think about how they might impact others using the trails.

[jfromlv]

I agree with most of his rant, not all. At Whistler, or even Mammoth at times, trails can get a little crowded, I usually just have to remind myself that these people paid their money too. Besides, the more people that are riding, the more exposure for our beloved sport, and hopefully more lift accessed riding will open up!
With all that being said, I hate when someone is stopped to look at a feature on a trail when there are two lines, one difficult, the other more difficult, and they stand in the middle of the more difficult line to let you pass by them on the easier line. I have to admit that a guy almost got the end of my handlebar in his gut on the Bullet course at Mammoth doing this. What really got to me, is that I saw him from a distance, and was yelling out to let him know I was coming through. Oh well, it wasn't the first time I've been called an a-hole!

[guero]

so, according to #10, you are a pudnucker if you crash and fail to get your bike out of the way? what if you are too injured to 'jump up and move your bike'?

most of the same stuff can be applied to snowboarding/skiing as well. i understand the frustration. there should be an asterik on #10 though stating that if one is too injured to jump up and move their bike, they are NOT a pudnucker.

[CalEpic]

If you take the time to write all that crap and then send it everyone you know, you are a pudnucker.

I do agree with most of what is said but we don't live in a fantasy world.

If you go to a bike park and don't expect to come across any pudnuckers, you are a pudnucker.


C

[FyrFytrRyn]

awesome replies guys, pretty much what i was thinking you'd all say. i agree.

[Wrecker]

I don't do a lot of DH'ing, but it seems that anyone can fall on a trail (any trail) and be too injured to pick their bike up right away (just look at the pros, they've all had injuries). How does he know that the person that fell was a "pudnucker"?

Being that mtn biking is inherently dangerous, to everyone no matter the skill, aren't you a pudnucker for thinking that you own the trail, for having a lack of ability to avoid obstacles (whether trees, rocks, or riders), and then to blame others for that deficit?

While I tend to agree that a beginner on a Wal-Mart bike needs to examine his own skills before hitting ANY trail, isn't one of the ways you improve your skills by hitting more difficult obstacles?

I agree that there is trail etiquette pertaining to all types of riding, including falling, but there are times when someone is unable to adhere to those civilities and a blanket of blame doesn't help our situation as mtn bikers. Isn't it better to support our fellow mtn bikers and empathize with them, perhaps educate those that don't know better, than to rip them to shreds?

[Stray_Bullit]

Originally Posted by CalEpic

If you go to a bike park and don't expect to come across any pudnuckers, you are a pudnucker.

That's what I was thinking too.

[Schecky]

Re. #5.
Is Sanjay a pudnucker?

[DownhillWebKook]

Originally Posted by Schecky

Re. #5.
Is Sanjay a pudnucker?

I think he wadded on this, but still managed to get the hell out of the way with due haste. He's a nut!